The present invention relates to a extremely sturdy and versatile machinist's sine vise adapted to provide a strong, quick adjusting clamp with enhanced directional stability that is capable of allowing the user to achieve extremely narrow dimensional and angular tolerances on clamped work pieces. More particularly, to a robust sine vise designed to provide for a “chatter free” machining environment.
The level of accuracy and dimensional tolerance that can be achieved in the machining of a held workpiece by a rotating cutter is affected by several factors besides the capability of the machinist. Primarily these are: how tightly the workpiece can be held (clamping force) in the vise in all three dimensions; how much movement any vise component has relative to the other vise components (backlash); and how much movement the vise undergoes relative to the cutting tool's table when a cutting load is applied (chatter).
Traditionally vises have utilized a central screw housed in the vise body which is rotated to advance a linear jaw towards the vise body to clamp the workpiece. This does not transmit equal clamping force along the axial axis of the jaw, therein allowing side to side movement of the clamped workpiece. When the workpiece is not located completely at the bottom of the jaw, this screw design allows for a slight vertical tipping of the workpiece when the jaw is tightened. Movement of the jaw is slow, as it is dictated by the thread pitch of the central screw. Traditional vises have smooth faces on their jaw and the mating face on the vise body which makes clamping of cylindrical workpieces parallel to the axial axis of the vise difficult. Since the forces the rotating cutter transmits to the vise are substantial, the vise jaw must be stout thereby reducing the jaw opening. After setting a traditional sine vise body at a precise angle relative to the cutting tool table, the act of tightening the angle adjustment screws draws the jaw and vise body on a slight angle normal to the set angle. Traditional hinges between the vise body and base have axial backlash with respect to the hinge. If it does have a V cut depression along the axial axis of the jaw to hold cylindrical work pieces, non cylindrical work pieces may be damaged when clamped. Moreover, all of the aforementioned sources of movement in traditional sine vises act in unison to allow chatter, increase dimensional tolerances and decrease overall precision in the machining of work pieces.
Simply stated, the present sine vise overcomes all of the stated deficiencies of the traditional prior art through the use of the following features: a sawtooth ratchet quick clamping system; a rotating dual jaw with one V cut depression face; a set of extended opening jaw lips; dual side locking stays with counter rotating lock screws; a T shaped jaw clamping drawbar; a zero tolerance cylindrical hinge and a lipped vise base adapted for robust clamping to the cutting tool table with conventional T slot bolts and dogs.
Henceforth, the present invention, an improved sine vise would fulfill a long felt need in the fabrication industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems inherent in the prior art.